Many business-launch options exist for those who want to sell skin care items. In addition to operating a more traditional retail store carrying skin care products, you can direct sell goods through beauty product companies with appropriate product lines such as Avon, Mary-Kay and Mark, operate an e-commerce business focused on skin care or sell products online for third party merchants through affiliate marketing. While each type of selling requires a slightly different start-up process, basic consistencies exist.

Retail Store

Pick a location for your skin care store. A store must be located within an area zoned at least at a commercial level. The Clerk of Court or Zoning Authority in your city can let you know where the properly zoned areas are in your city or county.

Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) with the IRS. You must provide either your EIN or Social Security Number on subsequent paperwork filings for your business, so it is best to apply for the EIN first.

Register your business name. In many states, a business operated as a sole-proprietorship may register its name at the county level. LLCs and corporations must register a business name and file Articles of Organization with the appropriate state agency. In many states, the Secretary of State's office handles all LLC paperwork filing.

Apply for a sales tax license or authorization with your state's revenue department. The license allows you to collect and remit both state and local sales taxes.

Obtain inventory through wholesale as this allows you to purchase a quantity of skin care products at a greatly reduced price. Many skin care companies maintain a corporate website that contains details regarding wholesale purchases. It is important to note that most wholesale distributors require you to provide a sales tax number before you can obtain goods.

Direct Selling

Contact a local representative for the direct-sell skin care line you want to market. Many make-up companies, such as Mary Kay, Avon and Mark feature skin care lines in addition to standard beauty products. These companies also offer the ability to sign-up online or provide you with the contact information for a local seller online.

Obtain a sales tax authorization from your home state. This allows you to collect and submit both state and local sales tax through one payment to the state. You must charge sales tax to purchasers even if you do not possess a retail store.

Organize a skin care product party to market your goods to friends and family members. Sell products to people in your immediate network and ask for your first customers to refer you to a second tier of customers and so on. Offer incentives to people who refer customers to increase motivation.

Affiliate Marketing

Start a website or personal blog focused on skin care or a niche segment of skin care, such as caring for acne prone skin or sensitive skin. This method of selling works best if you want to market skin care products without maintaining an inventory or direct selling goods. Your website's content draws visitors who engage with the ads and products mentioned within your posts.

Sign-up for affiliate marketing programs from your favorite brands. Most brands feature a link for affiliates directly on their primary website. You need to provide a Social Security number of Taxpayer Identification Number for income tax purposes when you register.

Add links and photo ads provided by your affiliate program to your site. The programs provide you with ad images and traceable links that allow sales generated on your site to be assigned to your earnings account. Most affiliate programs provide you with a percentage of sales or a flat-rate commission for new customer sign-ups.